Passes Quick for 24 Hours.

Although it is long and a lot of waffle it is actually also really interesting and gives a great in6inti that Phase of history.

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A Must Must Read

The poetic descriptions; the humanity; the joy; the physical and mental strength; the understood; the respect; the love; the frustrations. You live every moment.

Churchill wept at T E Lawrence’s funeral. I weep that this wonderful man is no more.

I will read and reread.

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A great book really well read

I've tried to read this book in hard copy several times and never got past page 6. With Roy McMillan's reading I have listened to it right through several times. It is so easy to imagine him as the voice of Lawrence and he brings it all to life - the characters, the geography and the bouts of philosophy.

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maybe the best narration i have listened to

i read the abreiviated version (revolt in the desert) while travelling in jordan and lawrence was a very fine writer - camping in wadi rum made it come to life. this unabridged version of 7 pillars of wisdom keeps the reader interested and gives all sots of incites into the life of lawrence and contemporary figures involvex in the action of the arab revolt. it is of its time so be prepared for lawrences biases - how much is embellishment is hard to say. the narration was flawless it is either the best casting ever or a voice actor of incredible talenr but i was utterly engaged and convinced it was lawrence himself reading his own words.

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Brilliant!

Don't have words to discrib it.... It made me happy, sad and horrified, accounts are so detailed I felt I was there.

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Fantastic

Incredible story bringing to me a better foundation to the current geopolitics of the region. Told at a leisurely pace very much in keeping with such a saga and permitting terrific insight with descriptions of the desert that it would be very difficult to adequately convey in film. Something fairly ‘Divine Comedy’ about it... perhaps some influence from that direction, but an infinitely more interesting, especially as real and a much easier read. Nearly 100 years old, but there is something very current about the narrative. Perhaps an unfair comparison, and not to belittle Andy McNab, but makes Bravo-2-Zero and ‘similar’ seem positively amateur.... working to a very much further horizon... something I really hadn’t expected.

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You have to understand what you are listening to!

This is not a text for anyone devoid of the ability for critical thinking! This is not a story for those who do not know that history contains ideas and viewpoints which are now very much outdated. However, if you have the sort of mind which can un-peel the narrative and seek to go beyond the obvious, then Roy McMillan's storytelling will take you on a spellbinding journey. These are the words of T.E.Lawrence, a British agent who fought a guerilla war with irregular forces and assisted in creating the mess which is the Middle East today.

If you are genuine about wanting to understand history and you want to see beyond the mythologies of the film industry and the propaganda of governments, The Seven Pillars of Wisdom is a text to test your perceptions. There are what we call today "War Crimes" in almost every chapter and this fact alone dates the text to a time when publishing the slaughter of prisoners of war would not lead you to an international court. But if your goal is to understand the motivations and moralities of the British Empire and you are prepared to look unpleasant facts in the face, this book will enlighten.

The biggest mistake with history is to judge the past by the standards we hold in the present. What this book allows is the chance to understand a past and comprehend some of the feelings of others in our present. A brilliant piece of historical literature read by a very accomplished voice actor. I have just bought more of Roy's work and he is now on my list of preferred readers.

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A Fascinating and Inspiring Piece of Work

What made the experience of listening to Seven Pillars of Wisdom the most enjoyable?

The description of the nuts and bolts of waging war and the analysis of how important personality and a judgement of individuals is in the process.

What does Roy McMillan bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

McMillan's seemed command of the Arabic names and his capacity to demonstrate the emotion ingrained in the narrative added to the experience of the book. It was easy to say "this is the voice of Lawrence".

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

This is not a book to listen to in one sitting. It is complex in both its detail and its ideas and it resonates with a whole range of contemporary events. Don't hurry your listening. As each day with the book passes, you with think 'around' it to gritty ideas in the world at large.

Any additional comments?

A map of Arabia at the time of the First World War would be very useful to accompany your reading, particularly if the map pertains to the Arab conflict. The movements of Lawrence and the Arabs are quite convoluted throughout the book.

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11 people found this helpful

Lawrence ranks up there a great military leaders

I found this account of TE Laurence military life and experiences to be absorbing .It reminded me of the SAS clandestine black military activities so many years later .For a young leader fluent in Arabic to truly inspirational a true leader of men .
who died before his time .

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Excellent

One of those rare books that can have a real effect on one's life. "Wordy" but stick with it, it's well worth it...

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5 people found this helpful